Welcome to Modena!

Dad and I took a day trip via train to Modena and Maranello to visit both Ferrari Museums. Modena is famous for the home of Enzo Ferrari, as well as the production of a large amount of Italy's balsalmic vinegar.
For those who aren't sure of where this is, it is slightly north of Bologna.

So we woke up super early and caught a cab to the Firenze train station. One and a half hours later (on a slow train) we got to Modena. Modena hosts Enzo's family home and the Enzo Ferrari Museum. From June to sometime this fall the museum is hosting a large Maserati exhibit! What a beautiful display of cars! Not only that, but the museum created two videos that played in the showroom, detailing the history of Maserati and the link to Ferrari. Next to the museum (which is shaped like a Ferrari hood) is Enzo's family home, which was renovated to host some collectibles from the family, as well as a few vintage Alfa Romeos and Ferraris. My favorite was the "Enzo" Ferrari of which only 399 were made. Pure beauty! Even for those who are not car buffs like my father and I, you cannot deny that this is a form of modern art.

 

After we looked at the Maseratis, we took a break for lunch at the museum. Both of us got the tortoloni and some cappuccinos to refuel (na ha!) for part two. We then hopped on the shuttle to head to Maranello where the official Ferrari Museum is housed. I think our shuttle driver had dreams that his van was actually a Ferrari and that he was actually Mario Andretti... we were flying through the streets and weaving around traffic.

When we finally made it (in one piece) to Maranello, we entered a bustling Ferrari Museum with an overwhelming amount of Ferraris and memorabilia. It was the crush of humanity stuffed in a car museum. Regardless, it was a place of pure beauty and appreciation for the art of racing and craftsmanship.

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I think my father's face is now stuck in a permanent grin. It was the mecca of the racer...a car lover's utopia. Okay, maybe that is an exaggeration... but not by much. :)

After a long day wandering through both places, we headed back to the train station and traded up our tickets to an earlier fast train to Firenze. Dad met a family from Brazil on board that we recognized from the museum. So he made friends. That man can talk to basically anyone, language barrier be damned.

Ciao,
Meg